Plow-lift for gang-plows.



P. RIDEOUT.

PLOW LIFT FOR GANG PLOWS. APPLICATION FILED .TAN.27, 1912.

1,085,298. Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

P. RIDEOUT.

PLOW LIFT FOR GANG PLOWS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.2'7, 1912.

Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN VEN T OR B? e Rz'd'eouZ m g WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAGE RIDEOUT, OF TESSIER, SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA.

PLOW-LIFT FOR GANG-FLOWS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAGE RIDEOUT, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing in the town of Tessier, in the Province of Saskatchewan, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plow-Lifts for Gang-Flows, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in plow lifts for gang plows, and the objects of the invention are to provide fluid operated means for raising and lowering gang plows and to enable the raising and lowering to be accomplished successively whereby the ends of the furrows will be left and started in transverse alinement.

Further objects still are to provide means for automatically compressing the fluid and for regulating the compressing operation.

Further objects will be apparent from the specification and for a complete understanding of the invention reference may be made to the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered a part thereof.

In the drawings: Figure l is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention, said view representing the operative parts of the present invention but omitting the usual frame of the gang plow, which does not form part of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of one of the plow beams. Fig. 4 is a detail of the latch device.

In the drawings like figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

It will be understood that the frame, plow beam and shares, and other parts of the plow will be of any well known and usual construction not forming part of the present invention, which relates particularly to the means for raising and lowering the same.

The fluid for operating the mechanism, which will be hereinafter described, may be provided in a variety of ways. For example, air compressed by a gas engine or equivalent means or steam from a suitable boiler carried on the plow frame. To those unfamiliar with the operation of these devices, however, and also for the sake of greater simplicity I have provided a means for automatically compressing the air, operated by the movement of the plow itself and these novel means I will first describe before referring to the further features of the invention relating to the lifting mechanism for the plow blades.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 27, 1912.

Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

Serial No. 673,729.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a sprocket wheel which is rotated by the wheel A on the frame, being mounted on the same shaft A therewith. The sprocket wheel is connected by a chain or other suitable means with a sprocket wheel C which runs loose on a shaft D adapted to be connected thereto by a clutch E of any usual or well known construction, the movement of such clut h being automatically regulated by the means presently described, whereby the compressing apparatus will be automatically thrown into and out of operation. These means comprise a lever F pivoted at F to a suitable part of the frame and connected at its center to the clutch 1G and having its opposite extremity connected to a piston rod which connects with a piston Q, in the fluid pressure cylinder 1, the piston rod being normally forced outwardly by means of a spring G which surrounds the piston rod and abuts one end of the cylinder, and a nut H on the piston rod which enables its tension to be regulated.

The shaft D carries a pinion J which meshes with a gear K mounted on a suitable counter shaft K, the gear K carrying a crank K to which is pivoted a connecting rod M operatively connected to the piston rod on an air compressing pump M adapted to compress the air into a suitable container N. The cylinder P is also placed in communication with the container by means of a pipe 0.

To normally take the strain of the pressure off the clutch, a centrally pivoted gravity operated latch 11 is provided adapted to engage the underside of the lever F and prevent movement of the same until a given lateral pressure is exerted sufficient to swing the latch down, to which end the latch is formed with an inclined tooth R with which an inclined tooth F on the bottom of lever F is adapted to engage.

It will be seen that if there is no air pressure in the tank N, the spring G will force the lever F over carrying the clutch E into engagement and causing the shaft 1) to be turned from the wheel A, thus operating the pump M and compressing air in the container.

As soon as the pressure reaches a given amount, the tension of the spring G will be overcome, and the piston Q will move inwardly swinging the lever F and throwing the clutch out of gear, preventing further compression until the pressure is lowered a certain amount.

g It will be seen that during the motion of the plow, the pressure generating apparatus will be thrown automatically into and out of engagement to keep the pressure up to a given amount.

I will now refer to the mechanism for raising and lowerin the plows.

1 represents a link which connects levers 2* and 3 of valves 2 and 3, the valve 2 controlling the passage of compressed air from the tank N to the conducting pipe 4, and the valve 3 controlling the exhaust from such pipe 4. The pipe 4 extends along the in clined rear edge of the frame and is connected at intervals to the outer ends of cylinders 5, within which pistons 6 are adapted to reciprocate, each being connected to a plow beam through the means of a piston rod 6 and chain 7 running around a pulley 8 to a lever 7 a which controls the plow raising and lowering device, such device being well known in the art and not forming part of the present invention.

It will be seen that the actual raising and lowering of the plow after the power is applied may be accomplished in a great variety of ways.

The link 1 is adapted to be moved by a cord leading to near the seat of the operator and when this cord is pulled it will open the valve 2 and close the exhaust valve 3, causing the compressed air from the tank to ass through the pipe 4 into the first cyliner 5, forcing the piston forwardly, exertin a tension on the corresponding chain 7 an pulling the plow lever "I downwardly re-' spectively. The link I is adapted to be moved by a cord leading to near the seat of the operator and when this cord is pulled it will open the valve 2 and close the exhaust valve 3, causing the compressed air from the tank to pass through the pipe 4 into the first cylinder 5, forcing the piston forwardly, exerting a tension on the corre sponding chain 7 and pulling the plow lever 7 downwardly respectively. The valves 13 are inserted in the conduit 4 between each two successive connecting pipes 15, and the valves 14 open these pipes 15 to exhaust. The bar 17 simultaneously opens one and shuts the other of each pair.

A check valve 16 is placed in the pipe 15 which forms a connection between the cylinder and the pipe 4, so'that the pressure will be retained within the cylinder 5 until the exhaust valve is opened. When the piston 6 of the first cylinder is moved forwardly and the levers 12 and 12 are operated by the same, the exhaust valve 14 on the second cylinder is closed and the inlet valve 13 opened, causing the piston in the second cylinder to move forwardly and raising the plow. This operation is repeated on each successive cylinder and mechanism connected therewith, each cylinder being provided with a set of inlet, outlet and check valves as described with reference to the second cylinder. It will be seen that by these means the plows are raised successively and automatically, enabling the furrows to be finished in transverse alinement.

When it is desired to let the plows down, the link 1 is moved in the reverse direction, opening the exhaust valve 3 and closing the supply valve 2. This causes the fluid to exhaust from the first cylinder 5 and when the piston moves inwardly the plow drops. As

all of the inlet valves 13 on the pipe line are open, the pipe is cleared of air, and while the first plow is coming down, the check valve 16 holds the air in the second cylinder, thus holdin the plows u until the piston and rod 6 o the first cyhnder run clear back and, by the chain 11, turn the levers 12 and 12- in the reverse direction, thus closing the inlet valve 13 and opening the exhaust valve 14 of the second cylinder, letting the air out of the same and permitting the second plow to drop. This operation is then repeated with the successive cylinders and plows and it will be seen that the plows will be successively and automatically lowered and the furrows can be started in transverse alinement.

It will be apparent that while the cylinders have been shown as operated by com-. pressed air, they might be operated with other motive fluid, such as steam which would be supplied to the pipe 4 in any suitable way.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of my invention, within the scope of the claims constructed without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, it is intended that all ing by its movement to control the passage of fluid from said supply pipe through the connecting pipe leading to another cylinder, whereby the motors are caused to operate successively to lift the plows one after another, substantially as described. 2. In a gang plow, the combination of a main frame, an obliquely arranged series of plows connected to the main frame, a series of fluid pressure lifting motors, one for each plow, each motor comprisin a cylinder and a piston therein, a motive uid supply pipe for all of the motor cylinders, pipes connecting said supply pipe to each of said cylinders, automatic means for controlling the passage through said connecting pipes, the piston in each cylinder serving by its movement to control the movement of the piston in another cylinder, whereby the motors are caused to o crate successively to lift the plows one after another, substantially as set forth.

3. In a gang plow the combination of a main frame, an obliquely arranged series of plows connected to the main frame, a series of fluid pressure lifting motors, one for each plow, each motor comprising a cylinder and a piston therein, a motive fluid supply pipe, branch pipes connecting each cylinder with said supply pipe, exhaust valves in said branch pipes, inlet valves in said supply pipe controlling the flow of fluid therefrom to said cylinders, and valve controlling means for simultaneously opening said inlet valves and closing said exhaust valves, said valve controlling means for one branch pipe and cylinder bein connected to the piston of another cylin er.

4. An automatic lift for gang plows having a fluid pressure piston and cylinder operatively connected to each plow and means controlling the admission of fluid to the cylinders, the means for each cylinder after the first being connected to and controlled by the movement of the iston rod in the cylinder of the preceding p ow.

5. An automatic lift forplows comprising a series of cylinders, a series of pistons therein operatively connected to the plows, check valves adapted to retain the fluid in each of the cylinders after the first, inlet and exhaust valves for each of the cylinders after the first, and means connecting the inlet and exhaust valves of each cylinder after the first with the piston of the preceding cylinder, whereby it may be automatically controlled thereby.

6. An automatic lift for plows comprising a series of cylinders, a series of pistons therein operatively connected to the plows, check valves adapted to retain the flu1d in each of the cylinders after the first, inlet and exhaust valves for each of the cylinders after the first, and means connecting the inlet and exhaust valves of each cylinder after the first with the piston of the precedin cylinder, whereby it ma be automatica y controlled thereby, suc means comprising levers on the valves, connecting rods for the levers and a chain connecting the connecting rod with the piston rod.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

PAGE RIDEOUT. Witnesses:

RUBSEL S. SMART, PEARLE M. GARROW. 

